Photo and story by Carlee Reilly / Contributing Writer
All Time Low played an acoustic set at The Cowan in Nashville on Friday night after finishing up their Last Young Renegades tour a week prior. After such an energetic tour, it would make sense to take a break or possibly work on recording new music, but instead, they took the time to play an acoustic show in Nashville after being away for over two years.
The acoustic show was a slight change of pace for All Time Low, to put it lightly. Many music fans prefer an acoustic show to a usually loud concert, the likes of which All Time Low are especially known for. Any aspiring musicians that dream of performing their own acoustic show one day in front of adoring fans may want to have a look at some popular acoustic guitar options that could set you on your way to superstardom. Here though, you could sense the superstardom oozing from Alex Gaskarth and his bandmates.
The venue they chose, The Cowan, was a sight to behold with entrancing lights, an intimate size and an industrial chic design. All in attendance were ready for an exciting, music-filled night.
The show started right on time with the opening act, Justin Forrest, winning the crowd over. His skillful guitar solos and falsetto had everyone pulling out their phones to find out more about him. All of his music was original. So, it was difficult for the crowd to sing along, but the songs all had great hooks that were easy to catch on to.
After a quick set change, All Time Low came out, sporting fun Hawaiian shirts that were given to them by a fan during a VIP experience. They played fan favorites from all of their albums, including their first acoustic performance of “Last Young Renegade.”
The band has found a lot of success through the years but are still making new fans with each show they play. At the concert, over a fourth of the crowd had never seen them live before. This didn’t stop anyone from jumping along to classics such as “Weightless,” “Backseat Serenade” and “Good Times.”
The party seemed to last through the whole night with no one in attendance wanting it to end. When Alex Gaskarth, the lead singer, attempted to bring the show to a close by explaining his gratitude for the success of “Dear Maria, Count Me In,” someone in the crowd shouted “Don’t Stop Believing,” which led to an impromptu cover of Journey’s classic hit. Although the band, Alex and the audience all were performing different parts of the song, it was a moment that brought everyone together. It was very ridiculous, but the spontaneity made it so memorable.
The night came to a close with the band promising to be back soon to perform a show that wouldn’t be acoustic. The group wasn’t afraid to joke around with the audience mid-show or make fun of each other. Their talent carries through from recordings to live performances. The band members made it clear that All Time Low knows how to have a “Good Time.”
To contact Music Editor Hayden Goodridge, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com.
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